On Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, Curious George will star in his own marathon of back-to-back CURIOUS GEORGE episodes on PBS KIDS. The special two-hour "George to George" marathon includes two new episodes and two returning favorites. "George to George" will air in place of the regularly scheduled PBS KIDS preschool block (check local listings), and kicks off a week of all new CURIOUS GEORGE episodes. The following day, Feb. 20, the series will be released for the fist time on DVD.
Imagine Ent., WGBH Boston and Universal Studios Family Prods. are the team behind the hit series based on the internationally beloved children's classic, published by Houghton Mifflin Co.
In its Sept. 2006 debut, PBS reports CURIOUS GEORGE was the number-one rated children's series on television among kids ages 2-5 years and moms. The half-hour, animated series airs daily on PBS KIDS and is seen by nearly nine million people each week. Additionally, the series' companion website (pbskids.org/curiousgeorge) outperforms much of its competition, currently ranking as one of the most visited pbskids.org websites, with an average two million visits per month, and with kids spending an average of one hour on the site.
"We're absolutely thrilled that kids and their parents are embracing TV's CURIOUS GEORGE as passionately as they did with both the bestselling book series and recent movie," said Ellen Cockrill, Universal exec producer/svp-animation for Universal Studios Family Prods. "It's a testament to just how timeless -- not to mention relevant -- the brand continues to be and speaks to the massive appeal Curious George holds across numerous generations."
"We knew CURIOUS GEORGE had great potential, but he's already surpassed our expectations," says WGBH Executive Producer Carol Greenwald. "It's gratifying to know that George is in people's homes, getting the message out to families about the importance of engineering, science and math play."
In its debut month, Sept. 2006, the PBS KIDS preschool block that features CURIOUS GEORGE catapulted PBS KIDS series to the top of the kids charts. Three of the four preschool block programs ranked in the top 10 among kids 2-5 with CURIOUS GEORGE leading the way.
At the same time young CURIOUS GEORGE fans will see new episodes, the engineering community will mark National Engineers Week -- an event that fits well with the series' educational agenda. While watching these all-new comic adventures, young viewers will become engaged in George's own engineering challenges, as well as gain an understanding of math and science concepts. Kids will learn, for example, that when Curious George searches for the right tool to help him fix his bike in "Curious George Rides a Bike," he's using an engineering skill. In "The All-Animal Recycled Band," he engineers instruments out of found and recycled materials, and employs engineering again when he explores the system of wheels and axles that make a wagon work correctly in "George Fixes Betsy's Wagon."
CURIOUS GEORGE is an animated preschool television series that airs within the PBS KIDS hosted preschool block, and is based on the literary classic. In the series, Curious George uses his insatiable curiosity as a way of acquainting preschoolers with key concepts in math, science and engineering. George's memorable misadventures -- from dismantling clocks to rounding up errant bunnies -- offer a vehicle for motivating kids to expand their own investigations of the world. William H. Macy narrates.
The CURIOUS GEORGE TV show swings onto DVD for the first time ever on Feb. 20, 2007 with CURIOUS GEORGE: ZOO NIGHT AND OTHER ANIMAL STORIES. The first in a collection of DVDs drawn from the hit show, CURIOUS GEORGE: ZOO NIGHT AND OTHER ANIMAL STORIES features eight shows from the series' first season, as well as exclusive extras, including games and activities.
The Universal Studios Family Prods. banner, which includes Universal Animation Studios, develops, produces and acquires live-action and animated family productions directly for the home entertainment and television markets. Among the group's portfolio of prized properties is THE LAND BEFORE TIME, the most successful feature-length children's home entertainment franchise of all time, having earned more than $1 billion worldwide to date. Since its formation in 2005, the group has built an exceptional slate of family fare, including the all new DVD original release, BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING, the latest winning installment in the hugely successful BRING IT ON film franchise, CURIOUS GEORGE television series on PBS KIDS, a critical darling among critics; and BARBIE IN THE 12 DANCING PRINCESSES and POLLYWORLD, based on the world-renowned Mattel-branded dolls. Making its debut in 2007 is THE LAND BEFORE TIME television show on Cartoon Network. Universal Studios Family Prods. is part of Universal Studios Home Ent.
Imagine Ent. was founded in 1986 by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to create movies, television and other original programming. Since its inception, Imagine Ent. has been honored with more than 40 prestigious awards, including eight Academy Awards and 14 Emmys. Past productions include the Academy Award-winning films A BEAUTIFUL MIND, 8 MILE, APOLLO 13, THE DA VINCI CODE and CURIOUS GEORGE, and the Emmy and Golden- Globe-winning television series 24 and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Imagine Ent. has a long-standing production/distribution agreement with Universal Pictures.
